Dr. Neill D. Varner

Neill Darwin Varner lived a life centered around three things: his career as a physician with training in chiropractic, osteopathic and allopathic medicine; his family: wife Judy, sons David and John (Jill), daughter Lisa and grandchildren Jacob and Julianna; and his role as a teacher of medical students, interns, residents and other physicians on topics related to environmental medicine. Working with the CDC on its development of smallpox vaccination strategies, with the US-EPA on several Michigan Superfund Sites, and with the University of Michigan as a liaison to its study of dioxin-exposed populations, Dr. Varner was active in retirement also working as a contract public health physician in Saginaw, Michigan, and as a per diem plant physician for automotive plants in Michigan. Moving from Saginaw, Dr. Varner enjoyed life in the resort communities of the Leelanau Peninsula. His hobbies included baking bread and cooking meals for small and large groups. He and his wife developed a bagel business known as PAPADOC Bagels which was sold to a local Traverse City Food Cooperative. His interests in social anthropology kept him busy, reading and learning about world culture. Annoyances of poor health had their impact as his life slowed down toward the end. He tried to live by the words of Gertrude Stein who wrote, "A difference, to BE a difference, must MAKE a difference…" and the legacy he left for his family is based on a profound love and respect for each of them, probably never fulfilling the ideal but striving to achieve it. Neill died on April 9, 2018 under the care of hospice at his home with his family by his side. Memorial contributions in his name may be directed to Munson Hospice. The family is being cared for by the Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home.